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REPORT OF THE SURVEY 

====— = OF THE ====——= 

GRAFTON CITY SCHOOLS 




PUBLISHED BY 
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS 

M. P. SHAW KEY, State Superintendent 

CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA 



REPORT OF THE SURVEY 



OF THE 



GRAFTON CITY SCHOOLS 



AS MADE BY 

Dr. J. N". Deahl, 

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY. 

SuPT. Joseph Eosier, 

FAIRMONT CITY SCHOOLS. 

SuPT. Otis G. Wilson, 

ELKINS CITY SCHOOLS. 



PUBLISHED BY 
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS 

M. P. SHAWKEY, State Superintendknt, 

CHARLESTON, AV. VA. 




CO., CHMtt-ESTON 



b> or or 

OJT k3 19.i3 






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INTRODUCTION. 

The State Department of Schools does not have so frequent oppor- 
tunity for co-operating with the city schools as it does with the schools 
of the country. For this reason it is all the more eager to take advan- 
tage of such opportunities when they arise. In passing along the re- 
port of the committee which made the survey of school conditions in 
the city of Grafton a few months since, the Department feels that it 
is rendering a service of real value to the people of this state. Boards 
of education in the towns and cities especially should find the re- 
port an interesting study. The report gives us an excellent discussion 
of a school system, in the concrete, and I feel that the odueational worhl 
at large owes a debt of gratitude to the Board of Ediication and the 
people of Grafton for this vahuible work. 

Very respectfully, 




State Superintendent. 



June 14, 1913. 

To the Honorable Board of Education, 

Grafton, W. Ya., 

Gentlemen : 

In accordance with the agreement entered into with your body in 
April, 1913, to make a survey of the schools under your supervision, we 
have the honor to submit herewith the results of our investigation 
covering the educational needs of your community from an industrial 
standpoint, the scientific basis of a system of public education such as 
is demanded in your community, the professional training and equip- 
ment of the teachers employed, the course of study in use in the 
schools, the methods of teaching and the plan of the school organiza- 
tion, methods of administration as related to the assignment of teach- 
ers, possible consolidations of departments and grades, current ex- 
penditures, the purchase of supplies, and the need of a more adequate 
high school equipment, as well as other suggestions dealing in detail 
with the general management of the schools. 

Industries and Occupations 

The chief industries of Grafton for men are railroading, glass man- 
ufacturing, metal working, wood working, clay working and office 
working; for women, home making, office and clerk work and sewing. 
Conferences and interviews have been had with those who have charge 
of the Baltimore and Ohio IJailroad at Grafton and who manage and di- 
rect its operation, with the superintendents of the glass and tile indus- 
tries, with some of the owners and managers of the metal and wood in- 
dustries, with many of those who employ office and clerk help, with a 
number of women who sew for the public. In every instance your com- 
mittee was most cordially received and willingly assisted in its work. 
In addition to this community study of industries, many of the business 
men and professional men of your city were interviewed with reference 
to the educational ]ioeds of your city. 

The purpose of these conferences and interviews was to find the 
attitude towards education, what the city schools are now doing for 
the industries and occupations of the people of your city, what addi- 



tioiial help the schools may be reasonably expected to give, what co- 
operation ol' the indnstries and occupations with the public schools in 
bringing- about any change that may seem wise and expedient to the 
Board of Education may reasonably be expected i'roni the industries 
and occupations of your city. 

Everywhere a very commendable attitude towards general educa- 
tion was manifest. Superintendents and those who direct the work 
of young men and women expressed preference for employing boys and 
girls who have a high school education. If your eonnnittee may judge 
from the conferences and interviews with many of your citizens as 
well as with employers, the desire and demand for industrial educa- 
tion in your schools is strong and urgent. There is also a willingness 
on the part of employers, where it is practicable^ to cooperate with the 
schools in providing for shop work on tlie part plan system of school 
attendance and shop work for which the boys will secure school credit. 

It is true that any school system should contribute to the uioral and 
intellectual welfare of the comnninity that supports the system. It is 
also equally true that any school system should in a very direct way 
reflect and contribute to the major industries of the community which 
supports the system of schools. In fact the moral and intellectual 
welfare of any people is contributed to in the largest and most real 
sense by aiding such people in their occupations. The major part of 
life is work, either with the head or hands or with both head and 
hands. The way to enrich life, to say nothing of increased eflficiency, 
is to rationalize the occupation of the individual. Dull and deaden- 
ing routine and drudgery are raised to the plane of hopeful and life 
producing work by rationalizing the occupation. In this way educa- 
tion is life and life in turn reflects education. 

The major industry in your city for men is railroading and the ma- 
jor occupation for women is home making. Your schools should make 
a reasonable return to the railroad for the money it contributes to the 
support of your schools. In doing this your schools will at the same 
time serve in a direct way many of the boys in your city. The rail- 
road will, in the judgment of your committee, co-operate in this exten- 
sion of your schools. The officials at Grafton have expressed to your 
committee a disposition to do so and a desire for the boys entering the 
railroad service to have educational opportunities to aid them in learn- 
ing to become more efficient in its service. Your schools have a rare op- 
portunity to render good service and in turn be helped by the railroad. 

Home making is the chief occupation of women, yet it is more than 
passing strange that our schools everywhere offer little or nothing for 



the home maker. This strange situation obtains quite as often in 
colleges as in the grades and higli schools. The education of girls 
in most schools is a Avaste of time and energy and money if it does not 
actually impair their capacity for successful home making. Our 
scliools can contribute not only to making happier and better bomcs 
by teaching the things which home makers need to know but the 
schools can. in a very real and effective way, help to solve the problem 
of the high cost of living — a very real and pressing problem. 

Night Classes 

The Columbia Tile Co. employs 15 to 20 boys and the Tygarts Val- 
ley Glass Co. employs 35 to 40 boys and girls. These boys and girls 
will not be able to do part time in regular school owing to the nature of 
their work. However, many of these girls and boys are now taking 
correspondence courses. This should not be necessary. The city 
should m some way provide for the education of these young people. 
A night school for these shoukl be provided if, after proper inyestiga- 
tion, the demand seems adequate. If this is not practicable, then your 
schools should provide for some kind of extension work. This may 
be done in an economical and successful way. 

Sewing 

There is an opportunity and need in your city for girls to learn to 
sew, for the public. The persons interviewed in regard to the oppor- 
tunity for sewing pointed out that girls who were able to do satisfactory 
work could not be secured. For this reason the women who era- 
ployed lielp discontinued tlieir shops and are now taking what work 
they oan themselves do. 

Sewing and dressmaking is a more desirable occupation for girls 
who have capacity for such work and wlio have to make their way in 
life than stenography and clerking, besides it fits for home-making 
which girls look forward to. 

A Go-operative Plan 

It has been suggested elscwliere in this report that your city has an 
opportunity to bring about a cooperative plan beneficial both to your 
industries mid to your schools. The railroad with its shops is espe- 
cially well suited for such a plan. Otlier industries will also furnish 
opportunity on a smaller scale. It may be the railroad would not 



only cooperate with its shops etc., but give financial support in equip- 
ping your manual training department. 

It could well afford to do so as a business proposition. An instance 
of such aid to schools is found in Altoona, Pa. The Pennsylvania 
Eailroad in IDOS equipped the Altoona high school manual training 
department at a total cost of about $30,000. To secure such assist- 
ance from the railroad you would need first to erect an adequate high 
school building which you now badly need. 

The cooperative plan is at present organized in many towns and 
cities. Some of these are Beverly, Mass. ; Fitchburg, Mass. ; Eochester, 
N. Y.; Peoria, 111., and many larger cities. The plan is to have the 
boys attend school part time and work in the shops part time, for 
which school credit is given. Certain hours per week, or half day time 
or one week is given alternately to shop and school. Some such co- 
operative plan is entirely feasible in Grafton. 

In your present school system a manual training plant could be in- 
stalled. The cost need not be considerable. ]\Iuch of the equipment 
could be made in Grafton. The plant once started, the boys could 
make much of the equipment while being taught to work in wood and 
metal. Some estimates of cost of equipment in manual training and 
home economics have been secured. 

The minimum cost for furnishing a domestic science department 
'ir 16 to 24 girls would be about $332 to $540. This would not in- 

ude plumbing and some storage shelves, the cost of which would de- 
snd upon the building, present plumbing, etc. 

An estimated cost for an economical outfit for wood-working for 2-4 
pupils would be $535 to $1080. 

A forge shop independent of the railroad shops could be equipped 
for $1378 for general tools and $1390 for individual tools, for 20 pu- 
pils. A blacksmith shop for 20 pupils would cost probably not less 
than $138. 

The High School 

The high school was inspected and studied with reference to the 
plant and equipment, the program of studies, the organization, the 
teaching and the needs of its pupils. The plant and equipment and 
the organization are considered in another part of this report. It 
should be said here, however, that your liigh school is not adequately 
housed. The rooms now in use are quite insufficient. Xext year with 
probably an increase of sixty or more pupils it will be very difficult to 



care for them in a proper manner. The high school is very much in 
need of an assembly room sufficient in size to accommodate the in- 
creasing numbers of pupils and public meetings of a school or educa- 
tional character. 

The lighting in most of tlie high school rooms is very poor and 
the ventilation unsatisfactory. The blackboards and equipment are 
such as to render teaching and learning very much less effective than 
it otherwise would be. The school is in need of additional maps, mod- 
els, charts, apparatus, books, etc. 

The spirit and attitude of the high school pupils is good. The pu- 
pils manifest a very earnest desire to learn and they show by their 
class work reasonable industry in their studies. A considerable num- 
ber of boys and girls in your school are pursuing studies for which 
neither nature has fitted them nor the demands of our present civili- 
zation require of them. Many of the failures in studies are due nei- 
ther to failure of application on the part of pupils nor to earnest en- 
deavor on the part of instructors to teach but rather to lack of capac- 
ity for some studies and the remoteness of other studies from the 
life interests of the pupils. 

Your high school teachers will compare quite favorably with those 
of other towns and cities of the state. Their desire to help their pupils 
is evident. Their academic preparation is satisfactory; the profes- 
sional knowledge of some of them is adequate ; in some cases it is not 
sufficient. High school teachers should have professional training com- 
mensurate with their academic training. A reasonable knowledge of 
youth, their instincts and capacities, of the nature and aim of edu- 
cation, of the education values of studies, of the learning process, etc., 
is necessary to do good school work. 

The program of studies in your school has been improved very much 
in recent years. It needs further revision in the direction of present 
needs of the boys and girls and of the community. It could with a 
few changes be made a very effective program. The present organiza- 
tion into four curricula should be made less restrictive. If the boys 
and girls are to receive the benefits of a high school education, there 
should be more frequent and closer supervision in the selection of 
studies. It should be easier for a pupil to readjust his studies when 
they are found not to be educative to him, that is, when he is not get- 
ting the proper amount of knowledge and the kind he will use in his 
life. A pupil cannot get the education values of studies unless he 
can do the subject well and with satisfaction to himself. High school 
teachers should be able to judge with accuracy whether pu- 



pils are doing as well in their studies as reasonable application 
would enable them to do their studies. To form such a correct judg- 
ment, the pupils must do a part of their lesson preparation under the 
immediate supervision of the teacher; class work alone will not reveal 
whether the pupil is making proper application. When it is found 
that a pupil with reasonable time and energy given a subject is not get- 
ting the educative value of the study, the program should be flexible 
enough to permit the pupil to change his study. 

The following recommendations are made with reference to studies iu 
your High School: 

1. Of the 16 units necessary for graduation, English should be required. 
The only other requirement should be a resaonable grouping of studies 
as follows: two majors of not fewer than three units each and three 
minors of not fewer than two units each. It may be not less than a 
unit of home economics should be required of all girls. This requirement 
would depend upon the facilities of the school to give the subject. If the 
equipment is adequate, the requirement should be made. 

2. In English the amount of technical grammar and language study 
should be reduced. The history of literature should be omitted, except 
what is necessary to a reasonable understanding of the literary selections 
studied in school by the pupils. 

3. In mathematics, a more modern text should be used in algebra and 
a briefer text in geometry. Plane trigonometry should doubtless be 
offered in your high school for those who desire it. In the eighth grade 
the elements of algebra should be taught in connection with the arith- 
metic. This may be done in such a way as to improve the arithmetic and 
serve as a guide and basis for further study of mathematics in the High 
School. The pupils should not be required to have a text in algebra in 
the grades. 

4. The commercial studies should be bookkeeping, shorthand and 
typewriting. A minimum speed test should be fixed in stenography for 
those who take it. Sophomore standing should be required for admission 
to the commercial studies. 

The writing, spelling and English necessary for commercial studies 
should be taught in connection with other subjects and in other classes. 
A pupil deficient in these subjects should not be permitted to enter 
commercial studies. You are now paying for the teaching of writing in 
the grades. Spelling is more economically taught in connection with 
other studies in the High School. This is also true of language forms. 
There is abundant opportunity for writing, spelling and grammar forms 
in high school studies. Correct form should be insisted on in all written 
work done by pupils. 

5. The High School should offer mechanical drawing, for which 
preparation should be made in the grades with free-hand drawing. 

6. Home economics for girls and manual training for boys should be 
provided for in the High School. The former subject should consist of 

10 



•domestic science and sewing. It may be that you could with your present 
plant offer the sewing in the eighth grade to better advantage than in the 
High School. 

The manual training should consist of wood and metal work. The metal 
work should include at least forging, filing and chipping. 

7. Your city has an opportunity to do co-operative work of shop and 
school. 

The co-operative plan will enable many of your boys who now receive 
little or no advantage of your High School to secure a secondary education. 

The plan will be economical for the city and contribute directly to your 
major industries. The plan will also contribute to your High School in 
bringing it closer to the people and thereby secure for it larger confidence 
and support from your people. 

8. There are both educational advantages and economy in furnishing 
free text books. It seems the Board could well afford to begin the 
introduction of free text books by securing a few of the books most 
generally used. At any rate, the library books should be very consider- 
ably increased in number. 

Moral Education 

We are living in an age of transition — industrial, political, social, 
moral change. The school is the institution to which the public may 
rightfully look for guidance in such a time when either development 
or decay may result. We should recognize that the old social and 
moral standards will not return. The old social order is quite as im- 
possible and undesirable today as the old industrial and political 
standards. The school must not only readjust itself but it must con- 
tribute to the development of moral and social efficiency of a rationally 
conscientious kind. Boys and girls must be taught to see the need and 
worth of correct moral conduct and character. Success and happiness 
depend upon right moral standards in both the occupation and the 
avocation of a people. 

The school in its organization and in its studies has an opportunity 
to teach correct moral standards and right moral practice. In doing 
this the emphasis must be in teaching moral ideas, not ideas about 
morality. Effective teaching will be indirect. The concrete situ- 
ations will be clearly presented and pupils left to draw their own con- 
clusions. Error on the part of pupils will be corrected not by teach- 
ing the right conclusion but by more suitable situations more clearly 
presented. In moral education the pupil must do his own thinking 
and accept responsibility if character is to be developed. The govern- 
ment of the school, lesson preparation, pupil activities, opening exer- 
cises, history, literature, tlie daily and weekly press, biograpliy, stories, 

11 



etc., furnish abundant occasion and opportunity for moral teaching 
of a very effective kind. 

To assist the schools in the moral development of its pupils your 
committee recommends that the Board of Education require that in 
each school the opening exercises be directed to moral teaching, that 
this teaching be as well planned and supervised as the remaniing teach- 
ing of the day, and that a reading suitable to the grade of pupils and 
well rendered be provided by the teacher. It is further recommended 
that a portion of these readings be short selections, about ten to twen- 
ty lines, from the Bible, without comment. 

The Commercial Department 

Your committee made as careful study of the demands for commer- 
cial education in the city and of the character of the work your com- 
mercial department is now doing as the time for the survey would per- 
mit. The number of persons now employed in the city according to 
the best estimates available are — bookkeeping 54, stenography, 27, 
general 20, total 101. This estimate is liberal but it should be noted 
that with a sufficient number of well prepared persons available, this 
number would doubtless increase. 

It does not seem wise, at this time, to discontinue this department. 
It is very desirable to afford boys and girls a better opportunity for a 
commercial education than the so-called business colleges with their 
short and misleading courses afford. The examination of the work 
seems to indicate that your department can economically prepare boys 
and girls for successful bookkeeping and stenography. 

Organization of Elementary School 

It is necessary in public school administration that children be 
taught in groups. This is an economic necessity, and the size of the 
group under each teacher will depend upon local conditions and upon 
the resources available for school purposes in the community. In com- 
munities where school revenues are available groups may be smaller 
than in poorer communities. 

Within the group of pupils under any one teacher it has been the 
aim of modern educational practice to secure homogeneity either in 
the entire class or within two or more divisions of it. These groups 
constitute the grades and the method of adjustment of pupils to these 
grades is called the graded system. The purpose here is to have within 

12 



the grade the minimum of individual differences among pupils for the 
reason that the largest number may be economically taught. 

The graded system pre-supposes a carefully planned course of study 
increasing in difficulty from grade to grade, and the pupils of equal 
ability are grouped in their proper places in such a course of study. 

The graded system of schools provides for the readjustment of 
the individual pupils at stated periods. At the end of the half year 
or year there is a formal re-classification of pupils called promotion. 
Pupils vrho have given satisfactory evidence of having completed the 
work of the grade to which they have been assigned, and give evidence 
that they can do the work of the succeeding grade, are moved into the 
next grade, while those wlio have failed to keep pace are dropped back 
to repeat the work of the grade. 

That form of readjustment which requires pupils who do not keep 
pace to remain in a given grade for another year is wasteful. The 
best test of the efficiency of a school system is found in the provision 
made for the proper classification of children and for their progress 
through the schools. Such a provision removes grade distinctions, 
keeps at a minimum the number of "repeaters," and secures the most 
economic expenditure of school revenues. 

The records of school attendance in Grafton for the present year 
show that many pupils dropped out of school during the sixth, seventh, 
and eighth months. On entering school next year these pupils must 
enter the grade they entered a year ago and repeat the first six, seven 
or eight months' work which they did this year. More flexible grading 
would provide against so much loss of time on the part of the pupil, 
and less expenditure of money for the instruction of these "repeaters." 
If each grade were divided in B and A sections each requiring a half 
year's instead of a year's work, the grading would be more liberal and 
grade distinctions would be lessened. It is entirely expedient in a sys- 
tem of schools the size of Grafton to have the half yearly instead of the 
yearly promotions. 

An attempt has been made to ascertain to what extent, if at all, the 
pupils in Grafton have suffered because of the present method of clas- 
sification and promotion. The eighth grades in the different build- 
ings were visited and certain data secured which may be stated as fol- 
lows: 

The ninety-nine pupils in the eighth grade who were present on the 
day the data were gathered, will average 14 years and 7 months old at 
the end of this present school year. This means that on the average 

13 



these pupils on entering high school in September next will be nearly 
15 years old. 

Twenty-one of the ninety-nine pupils, all of whom were born in 
Grafton, will average 15 years and 8 months old at the end of this pres- 
ent school year. This means that 21 of these pupils on entering the 
high school in September will be nearly 16 years old. 

The average of the ninety-nine pupils shows that these pupils will 
be entering high school almost a year late. 

The average of the twenty-one pupils shows that they will be entering 
the high school almost two years late. 

This retardation, which is not alarming, is not proof against the 
present system of classification and promotion, but it is evidence. 
Furthermore, in order that the evidence be complete, it would be nec- 
essary to have similar data not only from pupils who l)elong in the 
eighth grade not attending school, ])ut also from at least the fifth, 
sixth and seventh grades. 

The test of the efficiency of a school system, so far as the study of 
progress through the system is concerned, is incomplete unless the 
ratio of the children in school to the school population is considered. 
A school system might have no element of retardation, no "repeat- 
ers" at all, and yet not have half the school population enrolled. 
Hence a grossly inefficient system might appear to be highly efficient. 
The total number of pupils enrolled in the public elementary and high 
schools of Grafton at the time this survey was made, not counting the 
42 colored pupils, was 1263. The ratio of this enrollment to the 
school census, vrhich is 1966, according to the figures furnished the com- 
mission, is unusually low. ' 

Present Time Allotment 

Geography as a formal study is begun in the fourth grade and carried 
through the eighth. This is more time than should be devoted to the 
text-book study of geography, and is out of harmony with modern ed- 
ucational practice. History as a formal study is begun in the fifth 
grade and carried through the eighth. This amount is somewhat in 
excess of present day practice. Hygiene, Sanitation, and Physiology is 
taught in grades fourth to eighth inclusiM\ Three texts, the Primer 
of Hygiene, the Primer of Sanitation, and Human Physiology are 
used. In addition to these texts the Gulick books are used as supple- 
mentary. 

Important as the study of Hygiene, Sanitation and Physiology is, 

14 



it is suggested that this study with a text be confined to hygiene and 
sanitation in one grade instead of four, that one book instead of three 
be used. 

Arithmetic is begun as a formal study in the fourth grade and con- 
tinued through the eighth grade. A careful investigation as to the 
amount of time spent on arithmetic shows that the time allotted to it 
is considerably in excess of modern practice. 

We find, for example, in the sixth and seventh grades in the West 
Side and Central Schools that a greater time-allotment is given arith- 
metic than is given by the leading cities of the United States, as is 
shown below. The figures indicate the number of minutes per week 
devoted to arithmetic: 

Cities. Grade. 

6th. 7th. 

New York 200 200 

Chicago 150 150 

Philadelphia 22r> 225 

St. Louis 150 150 

Boston 230 210 

Cleveland 250 300 

Baltimore 250 275 

Pittsburgh 240 300 

Detroit 250 275 

San Francisco 250 250 

Milwaukee 200 200 

Cincinnati 300 300 

Grafton 300 375 

In the sixth and seventh grades the following is suggested as reasonable 
time-allotment for the different groups of subjects: 

I. Language (including reading, writing, spelling, composition. Eng- 
lish grammar and literature), one-fourth. 

II. Mathematics (including arithmetic, oral and mental), one-eighth. 

III. Elementary science (including nature study, physiology, hygiene 
and geography), three-sixteenths. 

IV. History (including civil government, biography and history proper), 
one-eighth. 

V. Miscellaneous exercises (including music, drawing, industrial 
training, physical exercises and recesses for games), five-sixteenths. 

By simplifying and reorganizing the course of study and reducing 
the time allotted to Arithmetic, Physiology and Hygiene, and Geog- 

15 



raphy and History in accordance with modern educational practice, 
the seventh and eighth grade pupils could devote one half day each 
week to industrial work, — the girls to cooking and sewing, and the boya 
to manual training, — and this would enable the public schools to offer 
richest opportunities to the pupils and the best service to the com- 
munity. The improvement of the course of study invariably enlarges 
school attendance. 



The Cost of Elementary Text-Books 

The Board of Education is to be commended for making it possible 
for pupils to purchase text-books at cost. But even with this provis- 
ion it is the opinion of the committee that the cost of the books in the 
aggregate in the different grades is greater than it should be. This 
is due, not to the cost of the separate texts, for that is at a minimum, 
but to the number of texts required to be bought. This is perhaps, 
not true in each of the grades, but taking the elementary grades as a 
whole it is true. The actual cost of the texts in each of the grades i3 
as follows and is given in comparison with Elkins where the Board does 
not furnish books at cost: 

Grade 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th Total 

Grafton 91 .94 1.23 2.58 2.83 3.98 4.06 4.81 21.34 

Elkins 55 .76 1.53 1.48 2.49 3.42 3.49 3.49 17.21 

Difference 36 .18 —.30 1.10 .34 .56 .57 1.32 4.13 

By reducing the number of texts as suggested above the cost of books 
to pupils would be materially lessened. It should be stated that com- 
parison in the cost of texts is made with Elkins not necessarily be- 
cause the cost of the texts in the latter city is representative of the cost 
elsewhere, but because Elkins provides for semi-annual promotion 
and classification of puj)ils which, it is often argued, increases the cost 
of texts. 

I 

Size of Classes 

The number of pupils that teachers have under their care is not ex- 
cessive. In fact the number of pupils allotted to teachers in the Graf- 
ton school is in most cases unusually low, but where revenues make it 
possible to have a minimum of pupils under teachers such an arrange- 

16 



Teachers 


Averai 


6 


25.5 


6 


24 


6 


31 


8 


34 


10 


29 



ment provides for best teaching conditions. The average number of 
pupils belonging to teachers is as follows: 

School Enrollment 

East End 153 

South Side 145 

First Ward 186 

Central School 273 

West Side 286 

TOTAL 1.043 36 29 

It is evident from the above figures that the average number of pu- 
pils belonging to each teacher is low, hence it is reasonable to expect 
so far as numbers are concerned that conditions for good teaching are 
provided. 
f 

Elementary Teachers 

Of the 36 teachers employed to teach white pupils, 

6 teachers have taught 12 years or more. 

13 " " " 7 and not more than 11 years. 

2 " " " 5 ' " 6 " 

7 " " " 3 " " " " 4 " 
6 " " " 2 years. 

2 " " " 1 year. 

Nineteen of the thirty-six teachers are graduates of normal schools, 
seminaries or colleges; thirteen teachers state that they are merely 
graduates of the Grafton High School; four teachers do not state 
their academic or professional preparation. Of the thirty-six teach- 
ers eight teachers, two men and six women, are married. One teacher 
holds a second grade certificate. 

In order that the city might receive the best service for the money 
xpended for its schools, and that the school system keep pace with 
he school system of other similar sized cities, it is suggested that there 
..e a higher standard for eligibility to teach in the Grafton schools. 

The following may be taken as a minimum standard so far as aca- 
demic and professional qualifications are concerned: 

1. License: The holding of a first-grade teachers' certificate, good 
throughout the state for the time for which the teacher is employed. 
City certificates should be granted when teachers have no opportunity 
to get a state license. 

17 



2. (a) The academic preparation: Graduation from a first-class high 
school or its equivalent. 

(b) Professional preparation: Two years professional and 
academic training in the normal schools of the state, in the State 
University, or in denominational schools whose normal departments are 
recognized by the State Board of Education, or in reputable professional 
schools elsewhere. 

Superior experience which has been gained under expert supervision 
in public schools may be taken as satisfying for the professional work. 

As a means for providing for the growth of teachers in service and 
furnishing a stimulus for the reading and study of professional litera- 
ture, systematic reading circle work under the leadership of the super- 
intendent of schools should be provided. Such a provision would en- 
able teaching efficiency more nearly to keep pace with length of service. 

The matter of the selection ol' teachers should he in. the hands of an 
educational expert or experts. Most boards of education have real- 
ized that they cannot perform this duty elfectivoly and in consequence 
the matter has been delegated to the superintendent of schools directly 
or indirectly. 

The schools arc poorly supplied with equipment as is shown in an- 
other part of this report. It has come to be regarded as a necessity 
that schools be supplied with supplementary readers particularly in 
the first four grades. It is very much better for the child to read three 
or four readers of the same grade than to read one reader three or four 
times. New material keeps up interest in reading and where interest 
is the learning is at the maximum. By all means the grades mention- 
ed should have three or four sets of supplementary readers, there being 
about fifteen or twenty books to the set. Above the fourth grade the 
schools should be supplied with suppleipent^iry books on geography, 
history and the like. Such a provision would materially increase con- 
ditions for good teaching and economic learning. 



Summary ol Suggestions 

1. That provision be made for half-yearly instead of yearly classifica- 
tion of pupils. 

2. That the course of study be reorganized so as to provide for an 
equitable time-allotment for each subject, and for enrichment, (a) Less 
time for geography, history, arithmetic and physiology and hygiene. 
(b) The introduction of industrial work in the seventh and eighth grades. 

3. That a reduction be made in the number of text boks used by 
pupils in certain of the grades. 

4. That there be a careful consideration of the size of classes to 

18 



ascertain whether the school revenues warrant so few pupils on the 
average per teacher. 

5. That the standard of eligibility for teachers in the public schools 

be raised. 

6. That the schools be provided with better equipment, particularly 
with supplementary readers, maps and globes. 

Possibilities o£ Consolidation 

In our judgment the efficiency of these schools requires the employ- 
ment of regular school principals at the Central Building, the West 
Side, and the First Ward. The number of teachers assigned to and 
employed in the South Side and East End schools are more than are 
generally employed in other cities for schools of similar enrollment. 
In Bluefield we find four teachers employed in a school Avith an enroll- 
ment of 173, and the same number in another with an enrollment of 
IGl ; in Charleston five teachers are assigned to one school with an en- 
rollment of 197; in Fairmont four teachers to a school with an en- 
rollment of 151; in Morgantown 6 teachers are employed in a school 
with an enrollment of 315; in Parke rsburg six teachers in a school of 
305 enrollment, and four in one of 158 enrollment; in Wellsburg six 
teachers are employed in a school with 237 enrollment, and five in one 
with 157 enrollment. 

In the South Side school we found six teachers employed for a school 
with an enrollment of 115, and in the East End six teachers in a school 
with an enrollment of 153. It is our opinion that with a closer grad- 
ing and organization of the pupils in these two schools, four 
teachers in the East End, and five in the South Side would be 
sufficient to take care of the pupils now enrolled in these schools or 
those likely to be enrolled next year, as indicated by this year's enumer- 
ation. We believe this can be done without detriment to the children 
in these schools, and without placing any unusual burdens upon the 
teachers. The money saved at this point would secure a fairly good 
instructor in each of the subjects of manual training, and domestic 
science, for the High School and the upper grades. This would give 
the average 29 pupils to each teacher employed in the grades below 
the High School. Estimated upon the basis of the reports made to 
the State Superintendent in the annual directory of the schools of dif- 
ferent cities in the State for the present year the following average en- 
rollment per teacher in the grades below the High Scliool is shown : 

Charleston 37 

Clarksburg 35 

19 



Fairmont 38 

Martinsburg 36 

Mannington 38 

Morgantown 44 

Moundsville 43 

Parkersburg 38 

Wellsburg 36 

Weston 36 

The efficiency of this school system can be improved by gradually 
reorganizing the grades below the High School so that the average en- 
rollment for each teacher will be between 35 and 40 pupils, and apply- 
ing the money thus saved to the employment of a drawing supervisor, 
and instructor in manual training and domestic science. Your com- 
mittee recognizes the fact that there may be local geographical and 
neighborhood conditions that would interfere with such readjust- 
ments. Such reorganization should be brought about with the ap- 
proval of the majority of patrons after clear explanations have been 
given of the plans for the general betterment of the schools. 

The comparative cost of the various elementary schools based upon 
the number of pupils enrolled in each school and the total amount 
paid the past year for teachers may be observed from the following fig- 
ures: 

Cost per capita of teaching for pupils enrolled: 

Central Building $15.66 

First Ward 16.68 

West Side 18.25 

East End 20.30 

South Side 20.48 

To show the comparative annual cost o£ elementary instruction in 
various localities the following figures based upon the cost of teaching 
in different representative schools are cited : 

Carlisle School, Clarksburg .$15.11 

Fifth Ward School, Fairmont 15.95 

Third Ward School, Elkins 13.26 

Burke Street School, Martinsburg 13.24 

Second Ward School, Morgantown 12.53 

Third Ward School, Moundsville 11.51 

Nash School, Parkersburg 16.14 

Main Street School, Sistersville 15.27 

It should be said that the per capita cost of elementary teaching can 

20 ' 



easily be reduced to the point where it will result in overcrowding and 
inefficiency. A system of elementary schools in which the average en- 
rollment i^er teacher is thirty-five pupils would be considered ideal for 
efficiency, and in many places an average of forty pupils to the teacher 
would be regarded as an efficient organization. We find at the time 
of this survey that in the Grafton schools there is an enrollment of 1085 
in the elementary schools with 37 teachers and principals last year, 
while that of the South Side has increased over the preceding year. 
This must have an influence on the enrollment in these schools next 
year, and must therefore be taken into consideration in any adjust- 
ment that may be made in the assignment of teachers. 

We have gone over the enrollment by rooms and grades as furnished 
to us by your Superintendent, and we suggest tentative plans for still 
further consolidations: The tendency in the upper grades in many 
progressive schools now is to provide for what is known as department- 
al work. Two or three of the upper grades are organized on a basis 
of subjects, and teachers are assigned to the different subjects as you 
have it partially arranged in your Central and West Side schools. It 
would seem feasible and advisable to bring the upper grade pupils in 
the South Side schools to the West Side building, and place them in 
the departmental classes there, and the upper grade pupils in the East 
End school could be placed in the departmental classes at the Central 
Building. It might be possible in this arrangement to reduce the 
teaching force, but if that could not be done, it ought to result in bet- 
ter work for the grammar grade pupils now enrolled in the small upper 
classes in the South Side and the East End. If this plan should be 
adopted there would be no need to employ regular principals at these 
two buildings. The woman teaching the upper grade could be allow- 
ed ten or fifteen dollars extra per month to exercise some general over- 
sight of the building, while the supervision of the teaching and the 
schools in general could be attended to by the Superintendent. The 
present plan of employing principals at the First Ward, the Central 
and West Side schools should be continued, and if possible the prin- 
cipals at these schools should be given part time for supervision. 

Salary Schedule 

In establishing a salary schedule in a system of schools two things 
must be taken into consideration — first, the number of years experience 
in teaching or the length of service, second, professional training and 
growth, including academic and pedagogical training and success in 

21 



class room work. We find here an elementary school system of forty- 
one teachers in which grade teachers with a few exceptions are paid 
fifty dollars per month, and the principals with one exception are paid 
ninety dollars per month. In most cities the salaries of principals 
are graduated in relation to the number of teachers employed under 
them, or the number of children over which they have supervision. 
Unless there are local reasons for varying from this principle, we sug- 
gest that the schedule o:fi salaries for principals be arranged with ref- 
erence to the number of children enrolled in the school. In small 
school systems such as this the marking or rating of teachers for the 
purpose of fixing salaries may result in friction and dissatisfaction, so 
that it may probably be more practicable to adopt the plan of dividing 
the teachers into classes determined by the number of years they have 
taught in these schools and schools of similar grade. An arrange- 
ment of salaries based upon present expenditures that would encour- 
age the older teachers in the system, and should not discourage the 
younger ones desiring positions might be fixed as follows : 

First year for those without experience in graded school teaching^ 
$40.00 per month. 

Second year for those with one year's experience in graded school 
work, $45.00 per month. 

Third year for those with three years' experience in graded school 
work, $50.00 per month. 

Fourth year for those with four years' experience in graded school 
work, $55.00 per month. 

Fifty-five dollars per mouth would be the maximum for teachers 
from the second to the seventh grade inclusive. Teachers of the first 
and eighth grades in these schools should be put in a special class with 
a maximum salary of $60 per month provided they have had the re- 
quired training, and at least five years' successful experience in teach- 
ing. We make this suggestion because we believe that in a school sys- 
tem such as this the best teachers should be assigned to the first and 
the eighth grades. The amount of money saved in employing younger 
teachers at the minimum salary will provide for the increased expendi- 
tures required for the first and eighth grades. 

A salary schedule for principals based upon the present maximum 
amount paid would be about as follows : 

For schools having over 250 children enrolled, $90 per month. 
For schools having from 200 to 250 enrolled, $80 per month. 
For schools having fewer than 200 enrolled, $70 per month. 

n 



It must be understood that the welfare of the schools, and fairness 
and justice to the principals and teachers now employed would require 
that the salary adjustment here suggested be made gradually, and that 
no principal or teacher now employed in the schools should suffer a re- 
duction in salar}^ No Board of Education can hope for success in its 
administration of a school system, if it does not treat its teachers with 
absolute fairness and justice. 

If found practicable the classification based upon years of service 
may be modified by taking into consideration professional merit and 
preparation, and success and efficiency in teaching. The estimates of 
professional preparation should be based upon the records of scholar- 
ship in the high school courses of study, and in advanced courses of 
study in the normal school or the University or college together with 
specific reports of practice teaching done in the training school under 
expert supervision. Estimates of efficiency in teaching should be based 
upon the observations and reports of the superintendent made at 
many different times and directed to the fair and impartial consid- 
eration of such qualities as power of discipline, mastery of the method 
of teaching, organization and presentation of subject matter, capacity 
for improvement and growth, and personality as it manifests its in- 
fluence in the lives of the children. 

Those teachers lacking many years of experience who show marked 
ability and efficiency in their teaching could on recommendation of 
the superintendent be placed on a higher salary by action of the 
Board of Education. Those teachers failing to show increased eflfi- 
ciency with their years of experience could on such report being made 
by the superintendent be placed on a lower salary or dismissed from 
service. Such readjustments as are here suggested would be made only 
after every means had been exhausted for the improvement of the 
teacher by the superintendent through suggestion, instruction, direc- 
tion aud supervision, so that no teacher could have any grounds for 
justly charging unfairness or injustice. 

The salaries of instructors in a High School the size oL" the Grafton 
High School should be such as will secure and hold well prepared teach- 
ers of successful experience in competition with cities of similar size. 
With a range of salaries under tliose prevailing in other high schools, 
your high school will constantly suffer from the loss of teachers who 
will go out to those schools paying larger salaries. As a basis of com- 
parison we note the following brief table of principals' and high school 
teachers' salaries in a number of representative cities: 

23 



Average High School 
City Principal's Salary. Teacher's Salary. 

Clarksburg $1,500 $90 and $95 

Blkins 1,350 90 

Fairmont 1,650 90 

Morgantown 1,500 90 

Moundsville 1,100 75 

Wellsburg 1,400 85 

With the consolidations suggested in another part of this report, 
and with the abolition or modification of the commercial department 
of the High School, it would be possible to make such adjustments 
with the funds now applied to the High School as to provide a salary 
scale that would compare favorably with cities of similar size. 

Sanitary Conditions 

The sanitary condition of your school buildings is probably not 
worse than that of many other buildings in the towns and cities of the 
State, but new demands are arising in this respect, and judged by mod- 
ern standards, the sanitary conditions of the basements and toilets in 
the different buildings are bad. 

The sanitary fixtures in the new South Side building are modern, 
and in good condition, but they must be cleaned occasionally if they 
are to be kept in proper condition. The basement of the West Side is 
in very good condition, but the toilet bowls ought to be thoroughly 
scrubbed, and the stools painted. 

The basement of the Central Building is in a very unsanitary con- 
dition. The trash and rubbish of years' accumulation ought to be re- 
moved and burned, the walls cleaned and painted or white-washed. 
It has been years since the closet stools in this building have been clean- 
ed. They should be gone over thoroughly, cleaned and disinfected and 
the surrounding parts of the fixtures painted. 

The toilets in the First Ward building are in a very unsanitary con- 
dition, and need the same process of cleaning and disinfection. The 
same may be said of the toilets in the East End building, which have 
probably not been scrubbed and cleansed since they were put in. This 
is a sort of work that janitors have not been in the habit of doing, and 
some may object to doing it, but the fact remains that modern school 
sanitation demands that this sort of cleaning must be done regularly 
and systematically, either by the regular janitor or by some special 
person employed for the purpose. 

24 



If there be anything in the germ theory of disease, and the highest 
scientific authorities are agreed that there is, then closets and urinals 
in school buildings should have the most thorough care in order that 
there may be no accumulation of germs about them. This care must 
include frequent scrubbing, cleansing and disinfecting of closet bowls, 
troughs and urinals, and the use of a good quality of disinfectant. 

The floors of school buildings should be thoroughly scrubbed twice 
a year with hot water and strong soap, and a light application of germi- 
cide floor dressing or oil applied with a mop. 11" there is contagious 
disease prevalent in the community, the desks and furniture in the 
school rooms should be washed with an antiseptic solution, and the 
rooms sealed and fumigated with an adequate quantity of formalde- 
hyde gas. Formaldehyde candles are now on the market of suflScient 
power to fumigate the average size school room. 

The walls and ceilings in all of your school buildings excepting the 
South Side are in an unsanitary condition. They should be gone over 
with one or two coats of some brand of dull coat paint. This is im- 
portant not only to the appearance of the rooms but to their health- 
fulness. From every standpoint it pays to keep school rooms in a 
clean and attractive condition. It may not be possible to make all of 
these improvements at once, but we would suggest that plans be made 
to carry out this suggestion in a period of years. In fact the painting 
and renovating of school rooms ought to be a continuous process. 

Improvements in Buildings and Grounds 

The grounds of the South Side, and the First Ward buildings are in 
need of improvement by grading, sodding and the building of walks. 
There should be either cement or gravel walks in the approaches to 
€ach of these buildings. In case it should be decided to install domes- 
tic science in the schools your committee is of the opinion that the 
dwelling house located on the grounds of the Central Building now oc- 
cupied by the family of the janitor, could without much expense be 
fitted up for the use of classes in cooking and sewing. A room could 
also be arranged in the basement of the Central Building with some 
excavation that would make fair provision for a class in woodworking. 
There are also rooms in the basement of the West Side Building that 
can be equipped for manual training work. The committee also notes 
the fact that the building now being rented near the Central Building 
for school purposes is in an unsanitary condition, and undesirable for 
school use. There is vacant ground on the rear of the lot at this build- 



25 



ing on which a temporal}' building of one or two rooms could be built 
that would be far more satisfactory, and in the long run would effect a 
financial saving to the Board. There are a number of firms in the 
country now manufacturing portable school houses of one and two 
rooms all ready to set up on the ground that can be purchased at a rea- 
sonable 13 rice. 

Current Expenditures 

We have carefully studied the list of annual expenditures as fur- 
nished by your Secretary and we make the following comment based 
upon the list and our observations in the schools : 

The amount paid for janitor service is not sufficient to secure or to 
require such service as modern sanitation of school buildings demands. 

The schools are inadequately supplied with materials for the teach- 
ers to carry on their work. The ainnial estimate should carry a lib- 
eral amount for the providing of the lower grade teachers with ma- 
terials i'or the various forms of seat work, and for many sets of sup- 
])lementary readers, and for maps and books of reference in the differ- 
ent grades. It is false economy to employ expensive teachers and neg- 
lect to furnish them tools to work with. 

The expenditure for medical inspection is not large, but we did not 
find the specific results for this expenditure that ought to be in evi- 
dence. If medical inspection stops with the hurried filling out of the 
inspection cards, the money spent for it is wasted. Cases needing at- 
tention ought to be followed up and correction secured. The medical 
inspector with the principals and the Superintendent should make 
an annual report showing the specific number of pupils whose physical 
ailments and defects have been treated or correcte'd as a result of the 
examination by the medical inspector. 

We believe that the expenditures in general are too low to insure ef- 
ficiency ih the operation of your plant. This is noticeably true in 
the item of repairs, janitor service, apparatus, and general supplies. 

The Purchase of Supplies 

In a small school system such as this the best plan for the purchase 
of supplies is probably to put such buying in the hands of the Super- 
intendent. He is the official Avho ought to be most interested in the 
matter, and who will be best informed as to what ought to be pur- 
chased. He should be notified of the amount appropriated for supplies 

26 



and held respousible I'or doini>- the best possible with the funds i»ut 
at his command. Itemized bills for all supplies purchased should be 
submitted to the Board of Education after they have been checked up 
and approved by the Superintendent. 

Janitor supplies should be ordered by the head janitor in consulta- 
tion with the Superintendent, and bills for such purposes should be 
approved by 'one or both officials. 

Apparatus and supplies for the laboratories in the High School 
should be ordered by the Superintendent after consultation with the 
teachers of the subjects requiring laboratory supplies. The Board of 
Education should of course be specific as to the amount of funds it 
has available for these various purposes, and the purchasing agents 
suggested should be held to strict account lor keeping within the 
amount of the appropriation. 

The supplies of all kinds should be kept in one central storerotHU, 
and distributed by requisition of janitors and principals on approval 
of the Superintendent. 

Money will be saved by submitting lists of supplies to two or tliree 
dealers for estimates and bids, although it is not always wise to buv 
the cheapest material. 

/ 

New High School Equipment 

The crown of the city school system is the high school. It provides 
the higher training for the boys and girls who are capable and ambi- 
tious, gives culture and higher ideals of life and training and skill for 
vocational usefulness, and grace and force in social leadership. It 
also provides the inspiration to the boys and girls below the high school 
grades, leading them on to greater aecomi)lisliments. We find in tiiis 
community the nucleus for a good high school, but there is an urgent 
need for a more adequate building, and better equipment. We find 
that the enrollment in the High School for a period of nine years end- 
ing with the present year lias l)oen as follows : 

Year. Boys. Girls. Total. 

1904-1905 15 45 60 

1905-1906 28 56 84 

1906-1907 34 64 98 

1907-1908 35 69 104 

1908-1909 43 84 127 

1909-1910 6."> 102 167 



87 



109 


187 


128 


21i 


129 


221 



1910-1911 78 

1911-1912 87 

1912-1913 92 



Judging by the number of pupils enrolled in the upper grades this 
enrollment in the High School will continue to increase from year to 
year. With the proper building and equipment it may be expected to 
increase still more rapidly. The community which has a regard for 
its future welfare can not neglect to provide the higher training for its 
young people offered in the modern well-equipped high school. This 
High School is in immediate need of a new modern building which 
shall contain at least ten class rooms, physical and chemical laborato- 
ries and lecture rooms, rooms for manual training and domestic science, 
a gymnasium, and an auditorium. Such a building as is needed can 
be erected at a cost ranging from seventy-five to one hundred thousand 
dollars. The funds would have to be provided by a bond issue. We 
have gone into this matter Avith much care with a view of showing the 
basis and the means of making this improvement. 

We find that your district has a total property valuation of $7,792,- 
000. and a net bonded indebtedness of $69,000, and that the tax levies 
are as follows : Teachers' Fund 25 cents, High School Fund, 10 
cents, Building Fund, 9 cents, and interest and sinkii\g fund, 10 cents, 
■ making a total tax rate of 64 cents on the hundred dollars. The state 
law provides that a school district may issue bonds to the amount of 
two and one half percent of its valuation so that your district can 
under the law bond itself to the amount of $194,000 approximately. 
As compared with many other cities and towns of the state, your dis- 
trict is not carrying a heavy bonded debt as may be seen from the fol- 
lowing table of comparison : 

Valuation. Bonded Debt. Total Tax Rate. 

Wheeling $63,592,586 

Huntington $30,543,400 

Elkins 5,702,000 

Martinsburg 6,720,094 

Wellsburg 4,764,556 

Buckhannon 3,313,468 

Clarksburg 19,058,000 

Morgantown 14,105,410 

Weston 4,780,738 

Charleston 28,245,285 

Fairmont 14,784,022 

38 



$1,040,000 


3014 


124,000 


40 


90,000 


60 1/2 


50,000 


56 


97,000 


741,4 


50,000 


57% 


335,000 


543/0 


135,000 


48 


75,000 


56 


376,200 


53 


280,000 


49 



Your district can issue bonds for a new High School building, lay- 
ing the necessary levy for interest and sinking fund and still not be 
much in excess of a number of districts that have made such improve- 
ments in the last few years. We believe that the proper equipment 
of your High School is the most important need of your school sys- 
tem at the present time. Even though the making of this improve- 
ment should involve an increase of taxation, we are confident that the 
community will realize large dividends from such investment in the 
better educational advantages afforded its young people, and the in- 
creased community intelligence that will come from having a thor- 
oughly modern high school building. 

The ideal of every progressive community should be to provide such 
educational opportunities as will make it possible for every capable 
boy and girl to receive a thorough elementary and secondary educa- 
tion. The future welfare and progress of your community will de- 
pend upon the integrity and the efficiency of your citizenship. A fine 
high school will develop the future men and women who will lead in 
community advancement and betterment. The best investment you 
as a city and community can make at this time, would be the expendi- 
ture suggested here for a new high school. 

Conclusion ' 

It should be understood that the survey here given by your commit- 
tee is suggestive, and that any recommendations as to modifications 
of the school system or comments on prevailing conditions should not 
be regarded as final. In many instances the plans here outlined may 
require years for successful completion, and in the course of the years 
the plans themselves may undergo many modifications. The work- 
ing out of the many ideas set forth in this report should be placed by 
the Board of Education in the hands of its school superintendent who 
should be an expert in matters of education, and school management 
and organization. The superintendent, after consultation with the 
Board of Education, and when he has secured a clear understanding 
of the general policies and desires of the Board, should be given full 
authority and support in carrying out his plans for the solution of the 
problems herein outlined. 

Respectfully submitted, 

J. N. Deahl, 
Joseph Rosier, 
Otis G. Wilson. 



29 



